About John Mars

The son of Forrest Mars, Sr., and grandson of Frank C. Mars, John Franklyn Mars has a net worth of $32.2 billion in July 2017, according to Bloomberg. John Mars and his siblings, Forrest Jr. and Jacqueline, own $31.6 billion (sales) Mars, the world’s largest candy company thanks in part to its $23 billion acquisition of gum maker Wrigley’s in 2008. The candy maker’s most famous brands include Milky Way, M&M’s, 3 Musketeers, Twix, Skittles, and Snickers, reportedly named for the Mars family’s favorite horse. John’s grandfather, Frank Mars, began making chocolates in 1911 in his Tacoma, WA kitchen. It was his father Forrest Sr. who invented malt-flavored nougat and M&M’s, over 400 million of which are produced in the United States each day. Mars has even branched out into consumer and pet foods with the well known brands Uncle Ben’s Rice and Whiskas under the Mars umbrella. Mars is a noted supporter of Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington.